JULIEN-JOSEPH VIREY.

BIBLE; VIREY, Julien-Joseph; APHRODISIACS; POISONS; COLOR of plants; MEDICINAL plants; HUMAN body; GALL midges; PHYSICIANS

Jean-Joseph Virey (1775-1846) fue un médico y naturalista francés al que debemos un estudio sistemático de la relación entre el color de una medicina y su modo de acción, el color de las flores y otras partes de las plantas como una propiedad de identificación, y el olor de diferentes substancias. Los colores de los vegetales indicaban, en general, los principios dominantes y podían servir para establecer su acción médica Los olores de diferentes substancias naturales, particularmente las medicinales, constituían una parte esencial de sus propiedades. Los olores actuaban sobre los diferentes sistemas del cuerpo y operaban sobre los seres humanos como medicinas. Virey creía que el afrodisíaco dudaim de la Biblia era una orquídea, probablemente una de los cuales se preparaba el salep. Las plantas eran capaces de experimentar impresiones de excitabilidad de la luz, calor, aire seco o húmedo y otros agentes ambientales. Los venenos vegetales o animales operaban generalmente sobre organismos vivos de acuerdo su modo de organización; ellos podían ser alimento, medicina, o veneno para los entes que los absorbían. La producción de una agalla era una clara manifestación de la irritabilidad del tejido vegetal, análoga a la mordedura de un insecto que depositaba un veneno amargo e irritante en la herida de un animal. Virey especuló acerca del efecto del frío en los seres organizados en general y sobre los maravillosos medios que la naturaleza les comunicaba en los polos o en el ecuador para asegurar su sobrevivencia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jean-Joseph Virey (1775-1846) was a French physician and naturalist to whom we owe a systematic study of the relation between the color of a medicine and its action, the color of flowers and other parts of the plant as a distinguishing property, and the odors of different substances. The colors of vegetables indicated, in general, their dominant principles and could serve to establish the difference in medical matter. The odors of different natural substances, and particularly those of medicines, constituted an essential part of their properties. Odors acted upon the different systems of a body and operated on humans like medicines. Virey believed that the aphrodisiac dudaim of the Bible were an orchid, probably one of those from which the salep was prepared. Plants were able to experience impressions of excitability from light, heat, dry or humid air, electricity, and other surrounding agents. Vegetable and animal poisons usually operated on living organisms and according to the organization mode of the species upon which they acted; they could become food, medicine, or poison to the entities that absorbed them. The production of a gall was a clear manifestation of the irritability of the tissue of vegetables, analogous to the bite of the insect, which deposited an acrid and stimulating poison on the wound of an animal. Virey speculated on the effect of cold on organized organisms in general and on the wonderful art that nature appropriated these beings to the coldness of the poles or to the equatorial ardor, to assure their subsistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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